Electric circulating floor fan



June 2, 1953 I c, E, JONES 2,640,646

ELECTRIC CIRCULATING FLOOR FAN Filed April 7, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

fkaxiefiiL /bizea Patented June 2, 1953 a 2,640,646 ELECTRIC oIRcULATiNG FLOOR FAN' Charles E. Jones, Chicago, 111.; assig'nor to Cory Corporation, Delaware Chicago, 111., a. corporation of Application April 7 1949, Serial No. 86,071

This invention relates to electric fansand i more particularly concerned with improvements in a circulating fan of the type adapted to be placed on the floor or a similar supporting surface. 3

It is an object of the invention to provide a circulating floor fan which is efficient inoperation, which comprises a minimum number of parts, which is readily assembled and disassembled, and which may be economically manufactured. a

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric fan of the type described-having a base, a side wall casing anda top which are particularly adapted to be formed of molded plastic materials and which may be readily assem bled with the motor and fan blades without the use of special tools or equipment. I

. It is another object of the invention to provide a circulating floor fan of the type described having a casing which comprises a base for supporting a motor with its drive shaft in vertical position, an imperforate side wall surrounding the fan blades mounted on the motor drive shaft, and a top member having a deflecting cone positioned above the base in spaced relation to the top edge of the side wall, the space between the side wall and the cone being provided with a grill-like construction whereby the fan blades are protected against damage while at thesame time children and others are prevented fromcontacting the blades with their fingers. 1

It is still another object of the inv ention to provide a floor fan having a casing which comprises a perforated base for supporting the motor and fan blades, an imperforate side wall guard member encompassing the fan blades, and a top having an internal air deflecting cone arranged in spaced relation to the upper edge of the side guard member whereby air is circulated from the holes in the base upwardly through the side guard member and out between the deflecting cone and the top edge of the side guard member.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent upon the consideration of the preferred form of the fan which is shown byway of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a circulating floor fan incorporating the principal features of the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a top elevation of the fan;v V r Fig. 3 is a section taken .on the lines 3-3 of Fig.2 to an enlarged scale;and l t 16 Claims; (01. 230 259) Fig. 4 is an exploded side elevation of the fan with parts in partially disassembled relation.."" r

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated afan' construction which embodies the principal features of the invention and which is .particularly adapted to be positioned or supported on a floor or other surface where it will circulate air in an upward direction.

' The 'fan' comprises a circular base I!) which supports a motor I l', a tubular side wall or guard member [2 which encompasses the motor II and a top construction I3 which deflects the air out-- wardlybetween its bottom edge and the top edge of the side wall member.

The base 10 is shaped'to'provide a generally outer portion of the bottom wall serves as'a sup-..

porting rim I5 for contacting the floor or other supporting surface on which the fan is'placed. The base In is provided at its top edge with an outwardly and downwardly directed peripheral.

flange l6 on theouter edge of which the side wall member 12 is supported. The vertical side wall portion H of the baselmember Ill-is provided mun its upper margin with the peripherally spaced apertures ill for permitting air to be drawn into the casing by the fan blades [9. The" motor. II is supported on the platform [4 with .its shaft 20 in a vertical direction for supporting the fan blade construction [9. The latter'extends substantially above the peripheral flange l6 of the base member ID.

Side wall member l2 which constitutes a guard for the blade construction I9 is generally cylindrical in. shape and provided at its lower edge with an internal groove 2| in which the outer edge of the peripheral flange [6 of the'base I0 is received to support the same. Adjacent the lower edgeof the side {wall l2 a series of peripheral apertures 22 are provided for permitting they air to be drawn by the fan blades 19' into the guard member 12. The upper margin of the guard member l 2 is provided with a reversely directed flange 23 which curves inwardly and downwardly towards the fan construction [9 and forms a peripheralfdisposed apron member terthe. fan construction, l9.

The top. member [3 which rests on the curved top edge 24 of the side wall member [2 supports a central downwardly extending air deflecting cone formation 25. At its outer peripheral edge the cone 25 is provided with a series of inte ral, relatively narrow strut members 26 which are downwardly and outwardly directed in circumferentially spaced relation. The bottom ends of strut members 26 rest on the edge 24 of the side wall member [2. I A series of peripheral extending vertically spaced rod-like guard rings connect the strut 26. The rings 2'! are teardrop in cross sectional shape and of decreasing diameter in the upward direction to facilitate fabrication by molding. A decorative top plate 28 is provided which covers the deflecting cone 25.

The base member l0, side guard member l2 and top members 13 are held in assembled relation by a series of peripherally spaced bolt-like rod members 29. The bolt members 29 extend through apertures 39 in the base member l0, vertically aligned apertures 3| in the side guard member l2 and apertures 32 in the top member [3. The cover plate 28 of the top [3 is provided with threaded sockets 33 in which the threaded ends of the bolt members 29 are engaged to secure the casing members in assembled relation.

The fan is assembled by first fastening the motor ll to the central portion ll of the base 9 and then positioning the side guard member 12 and top cone member 25 on the rods 25 while the rods 29 are held in the apertures 30. Thereafter the top cover plate 28 is positioned to place the threaded ends of the rods 29 in the sockets 33 and permit the tightening of the rods to secure the members in assembled relation.

Handle forming members 34 may be secured adjacent the top edges of the side guard member 12 and one of the handle members 35 may contain a switch, indicated at 35, for controlling the current to the motor. Other electrical equipment such as condensers or the like may be positioned along side the motor I l within the base Ill.

The casing members l0, l2 and I3 are particularly designed for fabrication by molding of plastic materials such as Bakelite, nylon or similar plastics of a thermo-setting character. These members may be formed also of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel.

The entire fan assembly is characterized by simple construction of light weight materials with a minimum of parts providing easy assembly, eflicient operation and durability. The imperforate side guard or wall member l2 prevents a child or other person from reaching the fan blade construction with the fingers and thus eliminates accidents which are common with most fans of this type as ordinarily constructed. The spaces between the rings 21 and the top edge 24 of side member l2 are sufiicient for the proper circulation of air outwardly of the fan casing while the apertures l8 and 22 in the base and side wall l2 are large enough to permit the entrance of an adequate supply of air to the casing.

While particular materials and specific details of construction are described in the illustrated form of the device it will be understood that other materials and other details of construction are contemplated within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A fan assembly comprising an upwardly opening base member having a raised central portion for supporting a fan motor and fan blade construction thereon, said base member having an outwardly directed peripheral flange, a substantially vertical side wall member extending upwardly from the outer edge of said flange, said side wall member extending above said fan blade construction, and forming a guard therefor, and a top member comprising a central air deflecting cone portion and a perforate peripheral forming portion extending downwardly of the periphery of said cone portion and supported on the upper edge of said side wall member, said base member having perforations therein permitting air circulation upwardly through the casing formed by said members.

2. A fan assembly comprising an upwardly opening base member having a raised central portion for supporting a fan motor and fan blade construction. said base member having an outwardly extending peripheral top flange, a cylindrical side wall member extending upwardly from the outer edge of the flange on said base member, said side wall member having marginal portions reversely bent and extending above said fan blade to form a guard for said fan blade, at top member comprising an imperforate central air deflecting cone and a perforate cylindrical side portion extending downwardly from the edges of said cone and supported on the upper edge of said side wall member, and tie rods connecting the flange on'said base member with said side wall member and marginal portions of said top member in rigid assembled relation, said tie rods extending within said side wall member and said top member.

3. A fan assembly comprising a base member having a central portion forming a support memher for a motor, said motor having a vertical shaft and fan blades thereon extending above said base member, a substantially vertical side guard member extending from the margin of said central support upwardly above said fan blades, a central air deflecting cone arranged in rigid spaced relation above said fan blades, and peripherally spaced cone supporting struts extending downwardly from the periphery of said cone in engagement with the upper margin of said side guard member, said side guard member having circumferentially spaced air passages adjacent its lower edge whereby to permit air circulation through the casing formed by said members.

4. A fan assembly as recited in claim 3 and ring members arranged in inwardly and upwardly spaced relation connecting said downwardly extending struts.

5. In a fan assembly an upwardly opening base member having a central portion forming a support for a fan motor and fan blade construction, said base member having an outwardly directed peripheral flange, a cylindrical side wall member extending upwardly from the outer edge of said flange, said side wall member extending above said fan blade construction and having reversely bent marginal portions extending to a point adjacent the outer periphery of the fan blade construction to form a guard therefor, a top member comprising a central air deflecting cone and a cylindrical side forming portion extending downwardly from said cone and supported on the upper edge of said side wall member, and tie rods connecting the flange on said base member with said top member in rigid assembled relation, said tie rods extending within said top member and being connected to the reversely bent portions of said side wall member, and said base member having perforations therein permitting air circula-...

tion upwardly through the casing formed by said members.

6. A fan assembly, adapted to be placed on a horizontal supporting surface, comprising a base member, a vertically extending side wall forming member and a top member, said base member having a central portion for supporting a motor with a vertical shaft and a fan blade construction thereon, said base member having its margins connected to the lower portions of said side wall forming member, said side wall forming member having the upper marginal portions reversely bent inwardly and downwardly and terminating adjacent the outer periphery of the fan blade construction to form a guard therefor, said top member comprising a central imperforate air deflecting cone and a peripheral portion extending downwardly from the edge of said cone with the lower edge thereof supported on the upper edge of said side wall forming member,

said side wall forming member having air admitting apertures adjacent the bottom thereof and said peripheral portion of said top member having apertures therein permitting air to flow therethrough.

CHARLES E. JONES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 144,034 Budlong Mar. 5, 1946 D. 149,133 Kisling Mar. 30, 1948 750,716 Smith Jan. 26, 1904 1,544,730 Dressler July 7, 1925 1,712,698 Ginder May 14, 1929 2,130,802 Kisling Sept. 20, 1938 2,310,772 Fukal Feb. 9, 1943 2,398,380 Kisling Apr. 16, 1946 

